integrated waste to energy and liquid fuel plants · integrated waste to energy and liquid fuel...

EPR Doc. 05212019 © 2019 EPR All Rights Reserved 1

Integrated Waste to Energy

and Liquid Fuel Plants:

Key to Sustainable

Solid Waste Management

Bary Wilson, Ph.D.

Barry Liss, Ph.D., P.E

Brandon Wilson, Ph.D., P.E

May 2019

EnviroPower Renewable, Inc.

7301A Palmetto Parkway Rd.

Suite 206B Boca Raton, FL 33433

www.eprenewable.com

http://www.eprenewable.com/


Table of Contents

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4

Background ............................................................................................................................................... 4

Plastics................................................................................................................................................... 5

Plastics Recycling................................................................................................................................... 6

Diesel Fuels ........................................................................................................................................... 6

Premium Diesel ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel ........................................................................................................... 8

Polymer Structures and Their Effects on Thermal Cracking Product Composition .............................. 9

Thermocatalytic Conversion of Plastics to Liquid Fuel ........................................................................... 13

Thermal Conversion of Combustible Solid Waste to Generate Power ................................................... 14

Gasification ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Plastics to Liquid Fuels Plant ............................................................................................................... 17

Automated mechanical sorting of plastic types for optimal product fuel .......................................... 18

Liquid Fuels from Pyrolysis of Automotive Tires ................................................................................. 19

Integrated Waste to Energy and Liquid Fuel Plant ................................................................................. 20

Environmental Advantages of an Integrated Approach ......................................................................... 22

Gasification ......................................................................................................................................... 22

Plastics to Liquid Fuel .......................................................................................................................... 22

Sustainability ....................................................................................................................................... 23

Life Cycle Assessed Greenhous Gas Emission Equivalents ................................................................. 23

Economic and Commercial Advantages of an Integrated Approach ...................................................... 24

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 26

References .............................................................................................................................................. 27


Integrated Waste to Energy and Liquid Fuel Plants:

Key to Sustainable Solid Waste Management

Executive Summary

Collapse of the combustible recyclables market caused by the withdrawal of China has

necessitated substantial changes in the ways in which municipal solid waste (MSW), including

construction and demolition waste, is managed. An interim solution in many jurisdictions has been

to place formerly recycled combustible materials into landfills. This approach is unsustainable and

leads to acute waste management problems as landfill airspace dwindles. At the same time, a

combination of tightening air emission standards, increasing acceptance of recycling, and aging

plants, has led to the abandonment of waste incineration in many parts of the US. Shut down of

waste to energy incinerators has served to exacerbate the problems with management of MSW.

Air fed gasification is a versatile and clean thermal treatment technology for the conversion

of combustible MSW to energy. In gasifiers, waste is heated in an oxygen starved atmosphere to

produce a hydrogen-rich fuel gas that can be cleanly combusted to raise steam for turbine

generators. When biomass (contemporary or cellulosic carbon) waste is used as the only fuel for

the gasifiers, the electrical energy generated is considered renewable.

Plastics and synthetic fiber components of solid waste are produced from fossil

hydrocarbon sources including coal, petroleum or natural gas and are not considered renewable

fuels for thermal waste to energy. However, most plastics can be thermally treated to produce

high quality liquid hydrocarbon fuels at yields that make the process economically attractive.

Calorific values of biomass fuels is roughly 13 MJ/kg, while calorific values of plastics range up to

42 MJ/kg, making the latter more valuable per ton as motor fuel than as fuel for making electricity.

This paper describes an integrated solid waste management system in which biomass and

fossil carbon-based components are sorted from incoming solid waste. Biomass components are

gasified to produce clean renewable electrical energy. Plastic components are thermocatalytically

processed in a separate pyrolysis plant to yield diesel cut and gasoline cut liquid hydrocarbons,

as well as a carbon black material that can be sold for tire manufacture. Separate processing of

the contemporary and fossil carbon components of solid waste in this manner is economically

much more attractive than thermal treatment of unsorted bulk waste to make electricity.

Depending on prevailing market prices for tipping fees, electrical power, and liquid

hydrocarbon fuels, a facility that treats biomass carbon and fossil carbon wastes separately, as

described here, can achieve rates of return that are more than twice those of conventional waste

to energy plants, even when such plants operate on biomass to generate renewable energy.

Integrated Waste to Energy and Liquid Fuel Plants


Introduction

Sustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is of growing concern as the

international market for formerly marketable recyclable waste materials, such as plastics,

cardboard and paper, collapses[1,2]. With the effective withdrawal of China as the leading global

customer for combustible recyclable materials, the already severe shortage of landfill airspace is

now of central concern in many jurisdictions. This problem is exacerbated by the

decommissioning of conventional waste incinerators, the unwillingness in many populated areas

to permit new landfills, and the increasing volume of combustible materials, especially plastics,

entering the waste streams. With few exceptions, governmental responses to the issue of

improperly managed solid waste range from little or no meaningful action to an outright prohibition

on new landfills, resulting in substantial increases in gate fees at existing waste disposal facilities.

There is widespread recognition that biomass components of MSW [3] can be beneficially

used as renewable fuels for power generation, and that most fossil carbon derived waste in the

form of plastics can be chemically recycled for re-use as fossil fuels at economically viable

yields[4]. Nonetheless, in many jurisdictions the response has been to export waste or return to

incineration of minimally sorted waste, or to mass burn of as-delivered waste.

This paper describes an integrated thermal conversion process that is applicable to dry

sorted combustible solid waste comprised mainly of biomass and plastics, such as would meet

the EU specification for solid recovered fuel (SRF), or to source separated plastics waste.

Process components include a waste reception and sorting facility where the incoming

SRF is separated into plastics, cellulosic materials, metals and inerts. After separation, cellulosic

carbon solid waste is gasified to generate renewable electrical energy. Mixed plastics (fossil

carbon components) are thermally cracked in a catalytic pyrolysis plant to produce a mid-distillate

hydrocarbon fuel. Existing technologies that enable the construction and operation of such a

facility are discussed, as are the many environmental and economic advantages.

Background

Combustible municipal solid waste (MSW) components can be classified according the

provenance of the carbon they contain. Biomass, comprised of cellulosic or contemporary carbon,

including wood, cardboard, paper, natural fiber textiles, green waste, and agricultural waste, is

considered as a renewable fuel. Combustion of wastes derived from coal, natural gas, or

petroleum add new fossil carbon to the atmosphere when burned and are therefore not

considered a renewable fuel. During the waste sorting process, non-combustible components



such as metals and so called “inerts” (glass, masonry, ceramics concrete, etc.) are removed from

the combustible materials before they are recycled or used for fuel.

Fossil carbon waste includes plastics (synthetic polymers) that are ubiquitous as

packaging, toys, plumbing and other construction materials (e.g. Tyvek), automotive parts, and a

variety of single use and long-term use consumer goods. Motor vehicle tires are manufactured

using synthetic polymers such as polybutadiene, as well as natural latex rubber. The use of carbon

black and sulfur in the manufacture of tires requires that they be thermally converted to fuel in

processes that are more complex than those used for most consumer plastics.

Plastics

Plastics are polymers generally made from petroleum or natural gas and comprised of

repeating, chemically bonded units called monomers. Monomers in plastics include organic

compounds such as ethylene, propylene, butadiene, styrene, phenol, and vinyl chloride. In

production the monomers are reacted to form polymer chains. These polymers can be produced

by condensation reactions, wherein two molecules chemically bond, usually with the loss of water

or an alcohol, or by addition reactions. Polymer chains are said to be crosslinked when monomers

of one chain bond with those in another chain. Crosslinking can alter physical properties of the

polymer such as pliability, tensile strength, or resistance to chemical attack. For purposes of

recycling, it is convenient to differentiate between polymers classified as thermoplastics as

compared to thermoset plastics.

Thermoplastic resins do not crosslink during curing. The curing process is thus completely

reversible as no chemical bonding between polymer chains takes place. Thermoplastics soften

when heated and become more fluid as additional heat is applied. When heated to sufficient

temperatures thermoplastics, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) or

polystyrene (PS) will reach their glass transition temperature (100 oC for PS), at which these

plastics melt, allowing them to be formed into pellets for reuse.

Thermoset plastic resins, such as polyurethane, polybutadiene, and melamine, once

formed and cooled, cannot simply be re-melted. While a thermoplastic monomer has only two

reactive ends for linear chain growth, thermoset monomers must have three or more reactive

ends, allowing its molecular chains to crosslink in three dimensions during the curing process by

forming irreversible chemical bonds. The cross-linking process eliminates the risk of the product

re-melting when heat is applied, making thermosets ideal for high-heat applications such as

electronics and appliances. Polybutadiene (Figure 5) is an example of a crosslinked polymer

thermoplastic used as a synthetic rubber in the manufacture of tires.



Plastics Recycling

Preferred methods for recycling plastics depend on their chemical structure[5]. For

purposes of recycling by thermocatalytic conversion[6] to form liquid fuels, it is convenient to

differentiate among polymers that are linear or crosslinked, as well as those comprised of

saturated linear hydrocarbon chains (HDPE, LDPE and PP), and those that are unsaturated or

include aromatic rings (PET, PS), or heteroatoms (PVC) in their structure. Table 1 below lists the

most frequently encountered waste plastics by RIC number.

Table 1. RIC numbers for common plastics encountered in MSW streams

Diesel Fuels

As described in more detail below, petroleum diesel fuel is a complex mixture of saturated,

partially unsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds with carbon numbers in the range

from about C9 to C22, including mostly paraffins, napthenes, olefins and aromatics [7]. Each of

these compound classes has different chemical and physical properties, and their different

proportions are what makes one diesel fuel different from another. For compounds in the same

class, boiling point increases with carbon number.

For compounds of the same carbon number, the

order of increasing boiling point by class is generally as

follows: paraffin, naphthene, and aromatic. As a compound

class, the proportion of aromatics in diesel fuels should not

exceed 35% by volume because aromatics tend reduce the

energy content and cetane rating of the fuel.Motor diesel

fuel distillate has a middle boiling point of approximately 500 oF. According to API and ASTM specifications, diesel fuel

must have a minimum flash point of 100 oF an API gravity

that falls in the 34 to 38 range. It must be 90% recovered

at a distillation temperature of 540 oF for No.1 diesel, and

RIC # Name Main Use

1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Soft drink & water bottles,

2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Water pipes, milk bottles, buckets

3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Plumbing, cable insulation, records

4 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Squeeze bottles, cling films, lids

5 Polypropylene (PP) Kitchenware, disposable cups,

6 Polystyrene (PS) Egg cartons, packing peanuts, disposable cutlery

7 Other (Polycarbonate, ABS, etc.) PC: lenses, compact discs / ABS: Plumbing /

Figure 1. General composition of

diesel fuels in terms of mass percent

as a function of carbon number [7]



between 550 oF and 640 oF for No. 2 diesel. Mid-range distillate diesel fuel is designed for use

in compression ignition engines. Unlike lighter distillate gasoline fuels with a midrange carbon

number of C8 used in spark ignition reciprocating engines, diesel engine fuel is formulated to

ignite from the heat of compression at ratios between about 18:1 and 23:1. Lower compression

ratios, down to 16:1, have been used to reduce NOx emissions.

Figure 1 shows the components of diesel fuel as a function of carbon number. Gasoline

blends are given an octane rating as a measure of performance (mainly ignition stability) against

pure octane (C8 H18). Diesel fuel quality is measured against hexadecane or cetane, the

hydrocarbon shown below in Figure 2. The cetane molecule (C16 H34), is a saturated (paraffinic)

straight chain hydrocarbon. The term saturated, when referring to hydrocarbons, means that there

are no carbon-carbon double bonds in the structure, and hence there are as many hydrogen

atoms along the chain as chemically possible.

Figure 2. Chemical structure of cetane, a primary constituent of diesel fuel

Cetane numbers relate to the fuel ignition time delay in

compression ignition engines. Diesel fuel in the US must have a

cetane number of at least 40. The shorter the ignition delay time,

more complete is the combustion of the fuel in the combustion

chamber, and the better the engine performs. Diesel fuel formulators

use a "calculated" method to determine cetane numbers Two

standards for determining calculate cetane rating are ASTM 4737 and

ASTM D976. These two tests use fuel specific gravity and boiling

points to derive a calculated cetane ratings. The cetane numbers for

a variety of diesel fuels are shown in Table 2.

Premium Diesel

Specifications have been developed by the National Conference of Weight and

Measures (NCWM) for a Premium Diesel. This specification ensures that properties such as

cetane number, low-temperature operability, stability, lubricity, detergency, and heating value

are within tightly controlled limits [7]. Premium diesel fuels demand a higher price in the market,

due to their consistent and near optimal performance as a compression ignition engine fuel.

Diesel Fuel #

Regular Diesel 48

Premium Diesel 55

Biodiesel (B100) 55

Biodiesel Blend (B20) 50

Synthetic Diesel 55

Table 2. Cetane numbers (#)

for various diesel fuels[7]



Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel

Biodiesel is made by chemical modification of vegetable oils or animal fats. The starting

material is normally a triglyceride with the general chemical structure shown in Figure 3. A typical

biodiesel hydrocarbon is shown in Figure 4. This example is a C16 alkane backbone that

terminates in an ester group or moiety (COOCH3) in a reaction as described below.[8]

Figure 3. general structure of a vegetable oil or animal fat triglyceride

To obtain the fatty acid methyl esters molecules that comprise biodiesel (Figure 4), the

triglycerides are reacted with methanol in the presence of a base. This process yields individual

fatty acids, some of which may have carbon=carbon double bonds along their hydrocarbon chain,

as well as glycerol. Depending on the source, triglycerides can contain a variety of fatty acids.

Figure 4. (Above) Structure of a fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) molecule that

comprises biodiesel; (Right), structure of glycerol, which is a by product of biodiesel

production from triglycerides

Biodiesel contains essentially no sulfur or aromatics and generally

creates lower emissions of particulates and carbon monoxide than conventional petroleum diesel.

The calorific value of biodiesel is slightly lower than that of conventional diesel. Although biodiesel

has good lubricity properties, it also has a relatively high pour point, which could limit its use in

cold weather. Because of the oxygen atoms in the ester group, biodiesel is also more susceptible

to oxidative degradation than petroleum diesel, so biodiesel fuels degrade more rapidly than

conventional diesel fuel. This property may also lead to increased biological growth during

storage. The general recommendation of diesel engine manufacturers is that biodiesel be blended

to a maximum proportion of 5% (B05) with petroleum diesel for motor fuel use. Hydrogenation of

biodiesel essentially eliminates the oxygen, resulting in a higher quality, cleaner burning, paraffinic

fuel designated as Renewable Diesel.



Polymer Structures and Their Effects on Thermal Cracking Product Composition

Chemical structures for several common monomers, and examples of linear and branched

polymer chains to form polyethylene and polybutadiene, are shown below in Figure 5.

Figure 5. (Left) Chemical structures of common monomers used to make common plastics (Right)

examples of linear(HDPE) and branched (LDPE) polymers of polyethylene (PE) and the more complex

structure of polybutadiene with the addition reactions and a crosslink branch point indicated

The nature of the liquids obtained from plastics depends on the design of the pyrolysis

system, any catalysts used, and the mixture of plastics used as feedstocks. Thermal

decomposition products of some thermoplastic polymers, such as polystyrene (PS), are

comprised largely of alkylated styrenes, as shown in Figure 6. Straight or branched chain

thermoplastics plastics yield mostly paraffins, napthenes and olephins.

Figure 6. Chemical structure of aromatic products from the catalytic pyrolysis of polystyrene

PolyethylenePolypropylene

Polyvinylchloride Polystyrene

Polyethylene Terephthalate

Linear Polyethylene Polymer Structure

Branched Polyethylene (LDPE)

Butadiene monomer and

branched polybutadiene

showing crosslink point

Monomers Polymers

Double bond in branch allows crosslinking

Bond makes bend in chain



Most plastic polymers thermally decompose to smaller, stable molecules that were not

original constituents of the polymers. For example, without the use of catalysts, polymers such as

polyethylene thermally decompose to a series of mainly alkanes and alkenes (paraffins, napthenes

and olephins) as indicated in the gas chromatogram shown in Figure 8. HDPE, LDPE and

polypropylene (PP) materials yield basically hydrocarbon chains of varying length, both saturated

and unsaturated, which result from scission along the non-crosslinked polymeric chain (Figure

7). Liquid yields from non-catalytic pyrolysis of HDPE has been reported as high as 70%.

Figure 7. Cracking of straight chain polyethylene molecule to obtain cetane

The gas chromatogram of the pyrolysis products from waste PE on the following page

(Figure 8) shows a series of mainly alkanes and alkene eluting in groups according to carbon

number. Hexane (C6) components were detected starting at 1.9 minutes, octene (C8) eluded at

4.75 minutes, normal undecane (C11 H24) was detected at 9.55 minutes and the last peak that could

be identified by GCMS, heneicosane (C21 H44) eluded at 28.3 minutes.

The gas chromatogram in Figure 8 shows the presence of alkanes and alkenes from

approximately C5 through C21. Higher molecular weight compounds were likely in the product

mix but did not elute over the time and temperature range of the analysis. Fractional distillation of

the material that was eluded from the gas chromatograph could be adjusted to yield a gasoline

cut, a JP-8 cut, and a diesel fuel cut. Pyrolysis of mixed plastics (catalytic or non-catalytic) do not

yield such well-defined products.

It should be noted that the gas phase hydrocarbons (especially methane, ethane, propane

and butane) formed during thermal cracking of the polymers carry off a disproportionate amount

of hydrogen relative to their carbon content. Compounds eluting in the gas chromatogram [5] in

Figure 8 are mainly straight chain or branched paraffins, napthenes and olefins with typical

structures shown below in Figure 9.



The five and six member rings in the napthenes are saturated. Saturated straight chain

hydrocarbons are also designated as alkanes. Those with C=C double bonds are alkenes. The

classes of compounds shown below are the main constituents of petroleum derived diesel fuels.

Figure 8. Gas chromatogram of pyrolysis products high density polyethylene [5]

Figure 9. Chemical structures of typical n-paraffins (straight chain saturated hydrocarbons),

isoparaffins (branched chain saturated hydrocarbons) napthenes (saturated cyclic hydrocarbons)

and olefins (unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds) [7]

Compounds with benzene rings in the structure are designated as aromatic. Compounds

with multiple fused benzene rings are designated as polycyclic aromatic. Figure 10 below shows

the structure of a single benzene ring as well as a substituted polycyclic aromatic.

Again, as shown in Table 2 below, calorific values tend to increase with increasing H/C

ratios. This, and the greater chemical stability of aromatic compounds, which delays their ignition

relative to alkanes under heat and pressure, are reasons for their lower cetane rating. The

proportion of aromatic compounds in diesel fuel is limited to 35% by volume because of this lower

cetane rating.



Figure 10. (Left) Benzene ring structure showing the two possible configurations of the double

bonds in the ring, (Right) fused benzene rings comprising a polycyclic aromatic compound with a

methyl substitution[7]

As shown in Table 3 below, calorific value in hydrocarbon fuels tends to be a function of

the hydrogen to carbon (H/C) ratio [10].

Table 4 below shows the carbon number and distillation temperature ranges for the main

petroleum derived fuels. The H/C ratio is an important factor in preparation and blending of

hydrocarbon fuels, including the pyrolysis oils derived from plastics.

Table 4. Carbon number and distillation temperature ranges for the petroleum derived fuels

Hydrocarbon Product Typical Carbon Range Boiling Point Range ( C)

Gas Phase Hydrocarbons C1 – C5 < - 12

Liquid Fuel Scan C6 – C50 N/A

Gasoline C6 – C12 100 - 150

JP-8 (Jet A) C8 – C18 200 - 300

Diesel Range C8 – C24 200 - 300

Heating Oil C9 – C24 200 - 300

Bunker C C10 - C26 350 - 450

Heavy Fuel Oils C9 - C50 350 - 450

o

• Carbon range for gasoline, diesel and heating oil may differ from state to state.

• These ranges are the most common.

Fuel H/C Ratio CV (MJ/kg)

Hydrogen N/A 142

Natural Gas 4.0 54

Gasoline 1.85 45-47

Diesel Fuel 1.89 46

Table 3. Hydrogen to carbon ratios and

calorific value of four hydrocarbon fuels

(CV=calorific value)



Thermocatalytic Conversion of Plastics to Liquid Fuel

Synthetic polymers derived from petroleum-based chemicals can be thermally degraded

to a mixture of gas and liquid phase hydrocarbons and a residual carbon-rich char. It is well

established that the gas to liquid product ratios for catalytic and non-catalytic thermal cracking of

plastic polymers tend to increase with increasing temperature, as does the amount of char. Not

only are liquid yields higher at lower pyrolysis temperatures when catalysts are used [9] the liquids

themselves tend to have higher calorific value and are of generally better performance as fuels.

Thus, the use of catalysts in the pyrolysis of plastics helps to reduce the thermal energy required

for conversion and tends to yield greater yields of useful products at lower temperatures.

Zeolite catalysts are the most commonly used in thermal conversion of plastics to liquid

fuels. However, other catalytic systems, including recently developed plasmonic catalysts, can

allow more product selectivity with higher yields, especially when converting tires (mainly

polybutadiene) to liquid fuels. Plasmonic catalysts are especially useful in desulfurization of the

pyrolysis oil from tire conversion. Data on tire-derived pyrolysis oils can be found on Page 19.

Plasmons are the quantized oscillations of electron

density with respect to fixed positive ions in a metal. These

oscillations, or excitations, can be initiated by the electric field

component of incident light. As the designation suggests, surface

plasmons are those that are confined to surfaces of conducting

particles, especially nanoparticles. Characteristics and behavior

of these localized surface plasmon oscillations, including the

establishment or resonances, and relaxation by transfer of energy

to nearby covalent bond electrons, can be affected by the shape

of the local surface, as well as the frequency of the incoming light

and the conduction electron band characteristics of the metal.

Figure 11 shows the interaction of the electron cloud of a

conducting metal nanoparticle as the electric field of incident light at a resonant wavelength. The

local density of the electron cloud (negative charges) oscillates as the electric field component of

the electrometric field. For metals such as copper, gold, and silver, plasmonic resonances can be

set up and driven by incident light in the visible range.

The energy stored in these resonant oscillations can be used to enhance the rate of

chemical reactions, and in some cases do so selectively. Local surface plasmon resonances set

up in nanoparticle catalysts can provide the energy to drive bond scission at lower temperatures

than would be required for non-catalytic, or even conventional, catalytic thermal cracking. Thus,

plasmonic catalysis can be of advantage in increasing both liquid yield and fuel quality.

Electric Field

Gold

Nanoparticle

Electron Cloud

Time

Figure 11. Oscillation of the

electron cloud density on the

surface of a conducting

nanoparticle sphere in

response to incident light at

a resonant wavelength.



Thermal Conversion of Combustible Solid Waste to Generate Power

Combustible components of solid waste, whether from residential collection, construction

and demolition debris, or industrial sources, is composed of biomass derived (cellulosic or

contemporary carbon) and fossil derived carbon (from coal, petroleum or natural gas). Biomass

derived materials including wood, cardboard, paper, natural textile fibers and leather are

considered renewable because they come from plants or animals already in the carbon chain of

the troposphere. Fossil carbon materials, including plastics, are not considered as renewable fuels

because their combustion adds carbon to the troposphere that has otherwise been sequestered

underground as coal or petroleum liquids and gas for millions of years.

Thermal processing of combustible municipal and industrial solid waste has been

practiced for centuries. This approach has progressed from open burning of materials in

dumpsites to carefully controlled incineration to fire boilers in increasingly large and sophisticated

steam power plants. For a review of thermal treatment practices for MSW, see Stantec. [11]

As shown in Figure 12 below thermal treatment options for solid waste include pyrolysis

and gasification along with incineration, or complete combustion in a controlled process. These

three processes are distinguished mainly by the amount of oxygen available to support

combustion, and the temperature range at which they operate. Pyrolysis processes can operate

with no oxidant in direct contact with the material being treated. In this case, thermal breakdown

occurs with little or no oxidation of the chemical products.

Figure 12. Temperature ranges and air / fuel ratios for pyrolysis, gasification and combustion

of biomass: CH1.4O0.6

Temperature.** (o F Approximate)

500 1000 1500 2000

Pyrolysis Gasification Combustion

Air / Fuel Ratio

Equiv. Ratio f* 0

0

0.25

1.5

1.0

6.25

* Φ = Air / Fuel ratio. Air/fuel ratio for complete combustion

** Combustion temperatures shown are adiabatic flame temperatures.

EPR Range

EPR Range

Plasma arc



Gasification

Gasification is a clean thermal treatment technology, ideal for smaller waste to energy

plants producing from 10 to 50 MW. This technology is environmentally friendlier and less

expensive than incineration and lends itself well to distributed generation electrical grid structures.

Gasification is a process wherein carbonaceous materials are dissociated at high temperatures in

an oxygen-starved thermal reactor to form a fuel gas comprised mainly carbon dioxide, carbon

monoxide, hydrogen, methane, and water vapor. If the thermal reactor is air fed (as opposed to

oxygen fed only), the fuel gas also contains nitrogen.

Incineration involves the complete combustion of the fuel, in this case solid waste, in a single

reactor volume. Solid waste incinerators, mostly of moving grate design, are being shut down in

many jurisdictions because of emissions and cost of operation. Where these older systems are

being replaced with incinerators, they often operate in mass burn mode, mass, where there is little

or no separation of the incoming waste. Hazardous wastes and inerts such as small appliances,

are removed.

Metals, fossil carbon, biomass carbon, and non-combustible waste materials are dumped into

a large concrete pit from which a grappling crane picks up material and deposits it into a moving

grate. In some cases, recyclable metals are recovered from the incinerator ash.

The significant differences between gasification and incineration are illustrated in Figure 13

on the following page. Note that incinerators must be large enough to handle the mass flow of the

combustion air plus the combusted fuel. It requires nominally six tons of air to completely oxidize

one ton of carbonaceous fuel. In contrast, the gasification reactor requires approximately one

third as much air to gasify a ton of fuel. The gasification reactor can therefore be smaller for a

given amount of fuel and the mass flow through the reactor is substantially lower, as is particle

entrainment.

When using the steam Rankine cycle for generation of electricity, the hot fuel gas is

combusted to generate steam in a heat recovery boiler. The steam is then used to drive a turbine

generator. In smaller plants (ca. 10 MW or less) this low Btu fuel gas is sometimes cleaned and

cooled and used to fire reciprocating engine gensets. However low Btu gas fired reciprocators

are substantially less reliable than steam turbines. Figure 14 is a block diagram of an EPR waste

to energy gasification power plant. The EPR design uses rotary kilns as gasification reactors along

with a patented flue gas recycle system to substantially reduce NOx emissions. Since waste to

energy plants are paid to take in fuel, thermodynamic efficiency need not be the top priority in

plant design. In EPR plant designs the main emphasis is on reliability, safety, and lowest possible

environmental impact. Air emissions from a 100 MW plant (comprised of two 50 MW units and

processing some 3,000 tons per day) are low enough that it can be permitted as a minor source.



Figure 14. Block diagram of an EPR rotary kiln gasification power plant with flue gas recycle

Refo

rmer

Recycled

Flue Gas

Overfire

Air

Incineration:

- Operates with excess air

- Generates more PM, NOx VOC, etc.

- Equipment larger and more expensive

- Ash is generally special or hazardous waste

Gasification:

- Operates sub-stoichiometricly with much lower gas

flow through the main reactor

- Less particulate generated - and what is formed is

removed prior to combustion of the clean fuel gas,

generating less PM, NOx, CO2 , VOC s, and no Ozone

- Gasification systems are smaller and less expensive

- EPR ash is a clean, inert , non-leachable product

Figure 2.2 Comparison of gasification with incineration in terms of mass flow, and inherent emissions

Figure 13. Comparison of gasification and incineration for thermal conversion of biomass



Figure 15 below is an oblique view drawing of the thermal island of an EPR gasification

power plant. This low-profile design, with a horizontally oriented reformer and two low profile heat

recovery steam generators, offers greatly reduced wind loading. This design can also be readily

installed inside a building in areas where excessively cold or wet weather can interfere with proper

operation or maintenance.

Figure 15. Oblique view line drawing of a EPR 4 kiln gasification line

Plastics to Liquid Fuels Plant

As described earlier, plastics are comprised of synthetic polymers manufactures from

petroleum, natural gas, or coal product raw materials. These polymers can be thermally cracked

into smaller stable, gas or liquid phase hydrocarbon molecules that can be used as fuel. A solid

phase (mainly carbon) char is also produced during a thermocatalytic process. (This process can

also be used with tires, oil sludge, or tar sands as a feedstock). Of primary interest here is the

conversion of plastics into mid-range distillate hydrocarbons using thermocatalytic cracking [4,5,6,9]. Pyrolysis is commonly used as the initial step for converting plastic polymers to gas phase

and liquid phase fuels. When carried out in an inert gas atmosphere, there is no oxidation of the

hydrocarbon products allowing for the best possible recovery of hydrocarbon fuels after catalytic

cracking.



Figure 16 below is a block diagram showing the main functional components of a simple

thermocatalytic plastics conversion plant. The thermal reactor used for pyrolysis is indirectly

heated and is purged with an inert gas such as nitrogen. The gas phase pyrolysis products are

passed through a catalyst bed that promotes the further decomposition into eventual liquid and

gas phase hydrocarbons. These are then separated by fractional distillation. The residual char is

removed from the pyrolysis chamber and used as carbon black. Gas phase hydrocarbons that do

not condense out are used as fuel for the reactor and melter burners. Two images of a commercial

scale plant are shown in Figure 17. In some designs, catalyst is added directly into the reactor.

Figure 16. Block diagram of a basic plastics to liquid plant

Figure 17. Two views of a commercial thermocatalytic cracking plant operating on sludge [12]

Automated mechanical sorting of plastic types for optimal product fuel

Product quality from a plastics to liquid fuels plant can be optimized by selecting the proper

plastics as feedstock. Mechanical sorting systems that use optical sensors and air jet separators

to sort plastics according to their composition are commercially available. Plastics separation

systems can be custom made to handle a variety of incoming waste streams and to provide cleanly

separated plastics by polymer. Their cost is justified by increased liquid fuel quality.

Reactor

Catalytic Cracker

Condenser

CondenserReactor Burner

Feed Hopper

Diesel Cut

Naphtha Cut

Gas

Mixed Plastic

Stack

Char

Melter

BurnerRefining / Filtering

Refining / Filtering

N2

Purge



Automated plastics sorting equipment from Green

Machine[13] that can distinguish among the plastic

types of interest for PtL plants is shown in Figure 18

to the right..

Figure 18. Plastics sorting system from Green

Machine, a manufacturer and supplier of

plastics and general waste sorting equipment

Liquid Fuels from Pyrolysis of Automotive Tires

Automotive tires contain natural latex and synthetic polymers that can be thermally

cracked to obtain a hydrocarbon liquid. Polybutadiene comes in several forms and is the primary

synthetic rubber used in tire manufacture. Other polymers used in tire making include natural

latex rubber, halobutyl rubber, as well as reinforcing fabrics including rayon (a purified cellulose

polymer), polyester, Nylon and Kevlar, the latter two having nitrogen containing monomers.

Sulfur is used in the vulcanization process to crosslink the rubber monomers. Other

materials used in the manufacture of tires include sulfur carbon black, silica, textile fabrics and

steel wire in the belts for reinforcement, and steel cable in the bead. Tires are commonly de-

beaded prior to being thermally processed. Catalytic and non-catalytic thermal decomposition of

tires can be used to recover fuel gas, pyrolysis oil, carbon black and steel wire. Temperatures

used in the pyrolysis of tires commonly ranges from 450 0C to 600 0C. Table 5 below shows typical

proximate and elemental analyses of tires. The manufacturer selected by EPR builds

thermocatalytic plants that operate on waste tires oil sludge tar sand and mixed plastics.

Table 5. Proximal and elemental analysis of tire shreds and the percentages of gas, oils

and carbon black, and steel wire obtained from pyrolysis

Proximate Analysis Elemental Analysis Pyrolysis Product Yield

wt% wt% wt%

Moisture 0.82 Carbon (C) 80 Pyrolytic Gas 10%

Volatiles 61 Hydrogen (H) 7 Pyrolytic Oil 36% - 42%

Fixed Carbon 32 Nitrogen (N) 0.4 Carbon Black 30% - 35%

Ash 4.0 Oxygen (O) 7 Steel Wire 12% -15%

HHV (MJ/kg) 36.5

Other

(including Sulfur) 5.4



Integrated Waste to Energy and Liquid Fuel Plant

Integration of biomass and plastics thermal conversion processes can provide operational,

environmental and economic advantages. Generating electricity from biomass-only allows the

power generated to be considered renewable. Likewise, producing liquid fuel from plastics that

would otherwise be considered as solid waste and placed in landfill reduces the amount of new

fossil carbon that must be extracted and refined to produce an equivalent amount of liquid fuel.

Additionally, the liquid fuel derived from plastics is ultra-low in sulfur and is therefore

cleaner burning than most diesel fuels refined directly from crude oil. Finally, there are beneficial

uses for the residual solid products from both the gasification and pyrolysis processes. The char

from plastics pyrolysis is mainly carbon and if of sufficient quality can be sold as carbon black. If

no market can be found, the char can be used as a fuel in the gasification plant section of the

integrated facility.

Figure 19 below shows a block diagram of an integrated facility and the main raw material

and product flows into, among, and out of the three main facility components. The sorting facility,

plastics to liquid fuel pyrolysis plant and the biomass gasification plant are described in more detail

below. Where markets exist, metals and some inerts can be bring in additional revenue.

Figure 19. Block diagram for an integrated waste to electric power and liquid fuels plant,

operating on refuse derived fuel and from which there is no carbonaceous solid waste.

Biomass + Organic Fluids and Water

Mixed Plastics

Recoverable Metals

FerrousNon Ferrous

Inerts

GlassSoil /Sand MineralsPVC

To Market

To Landfill

Waste to Energy

Gasification Power Plant

Electrical Energy

Char

Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuel to Refinery or Blending Facility

Sintered Ash to Construction / Aggregate

Plastics to Liquid Fuel

Pyrolysis Plant

Minor Source Air Emissions

Steam for Industrial Use

Inert Waste to Landfill

Trash

Sorting Facility

Excess Fuel Gas



Figure 20 shows the general layout of an integrated waste to energy - plastics to liquids

plant. In this design, the incoming waste is unloaded onto the tipping flor where the biomass and

fossil carbon components are separated. Plastics are further mechanically sorted into classes

according to their compatibility with the pyrolysis system in use. In this case, pyrolysis is by a

thermocatalytic system with mainly HDPE, LDPE and PP as feedstock. While some polystyrenes

or PET materials may be added to the feed mix, no PVC is allowed.

Figure 20. Oblique rendering of an integrated waste to energy and plastics to liquid fuels plant

The product liquid from the plant is intended to meet the main specifications for a No 2

diesel with an API gravity between less than 40, distillation temperature (90% volume recovered)

between 540 oF and 640 oF, and an aromatic content or less than 35% by volume. This material

is intended as a drop-in diesel blending material to be sold to bulk fuel suppliers in the local

market. Alternatively, the full range distillate liquid materials from the plant can be sold to an oil

refinery. This material would normally be added to the crude oil or elsewhere in the refining

process with the various chemical components in the distillate emerging from the refining process

in their respective carbon number, functional group and distillate ranges (see Table 4).

The PtL plant manufacturer selected by EPR builds thermocatalytic systems that operate

on waste tires, oil sludge, tar sands and mixed plastics using patented and patent pending

technology. Aliphatic linear and branched hydrocarbon polymers will be the primary feedstock

used in the EPR Integrated facility described here. These constitute the cleanest and most readily

converted among these feedstocks for which these plants are designed.



Environmental Advantages of an Integrated Approach

Gasification

Air emissions from well designed and operated solid gasification plants fired with biomass

sorted from construction and demolition debris and industrial waste are lower per kWh of energy

produced than from any other combustion-based process. Furthermore, gasification of a ton green

waste biomass results in a much lower release of greenhouse gas equivalents (GHGe) to the

environment than does placement of this same ton of biomass in a landfill, where most of it would

eventually be anaerobically converted to CO2 and methane (CH4).

This disparity holds even if the landfill is eventually equipped with a landfill gas recovery

system. This is because methane is at least 25 times more effective as a GHG than CO2, and

because much of the methane produced in a landfill is emitted through the working face before

any kind of effective cover is in place or before landfill gas recovery systems are installed.

Rotary kiln gasification systems can be operated to produce an essentially carbon free

inert inorganic sintered ash that is safe for use a construction fill and need not be placed in a

landfill. This inert sintered material should not be confused with the ash from MSW incinerators.

Plastics to Liquid Fuel

The principle sources of air emissions from a plastics to liquid fuels plant comes from

the operation of the gas burner used to heat the primary thermal (pyrolysis) reactor. These

burners use the gas phase (non-condensable) hydrocarbon cut (nominally C1-C5) from the

thermal depolymerization reactor as fuel. Concentrations of criteria pollutants in the exhaust gas

from the burner are well below regulatory limits.

However, the primary environmental advantage of the PtL process is that it helps keep

fugitive plastics out of the terrestrial and marine environments where they can pose a danger to

wildlife and to humans. PtL plants directly address the growing concern of fugitive plastics

accumulation in the environment.

Solid residues from the plastics to liquid fuels are mainly a carbon-rich char that normally

comprises some 10% of the mass of the plastic material fed to the system. In some markets this

char material has a value as carbon black. If no market can be found for this material, it can be

used as fuel for the gasifiers that operate at temperatures high enough to convert (“burn out”)

the carbon portion of this material leaving a small amount of inorganic ash.



Sustainability

Thermally treating solid waste is more environmentally responsible than placing it in a

landfill or allowing it to move into the environment as fugitive trash. In the case of plastics, the

extent to which these materials persist and pollutes the environment has long been recognized. It

is estimated that some 12 million metric tons of plastic debris end up in the oceans of the world

each year. This plastic slowly degrades over time from the action of UV and the mechanical effects

of wind and salt water to form small particles designated as microplastics.

Microplastic particles have been detected in environments from depths of 30,000 feet in

the ocean to an altitude of 5,000 feet in the Pyrenees mountain air some 60 miles from the nearest

city, Toulouse. While the damage done to wildlife by plastics in the environment is widely known,

the long-term health effects microplastics in the air and in drinking water have yet to be

determined. Waste plastics are best converted to a hydrocarbon fuel, which fuel obviates the

need to introduce an equivalent amount of newly pumped crude into the environment.

Life Cycle Assessed Greenhous Gas Emission Equivalents

Zaman [14] and Bain [15] have provided life cycle assessments comparing landfill,

incineration and gasification as primary technologies for treatment and disposal of MSW. Again,

gasification ranked highest, overall, when considering the combined characteristics of conversion

efficiency, cost per unit of power generated, and favorable environmental impact. Environmental

advantages of thermal treatment of combustible waste, as compared to landfill, have been

confirmed by the USEPA, which has concluded that landfills are an important source of fugitive

methane gas [16], which gas is some 25-fold more effective as a greenhouse gas than carbon

dioxide (CO2).

Thermal treatment of MSW is a well proven technology for producing renewable energy,

while greatly reducing the emission of methane and other greenhouse gases per unit mass of fuel,

as well as a reducing the amount of waste going to landfills. This comparative advantage of

gasification is maintained when compared to landfills with gas capture systems, with gasification

producing only about 1 kg of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per kWh of generated power, while landfill

produces approximately 2.75 kg/kWh, and incineration releases approximately 1.6 kg/kWh of

energy generated. Air emissions from gasification are inherently lower than from incineration,

whether calculated per ton of waste treated, or per MWh of energy generated. Gasification

technology offers greater flexibility in facility design and layout and requires less heavy



construction and civil work onsite than incineration, resulting in shorter construction times (and

lower costs).

As a source of electrical power, thermal conversion of combustible waste is more effective

in reducing GHGe emissions than pulverized coal combustion, coal biomass co-firing, or natural

gas fired combustion turbine combined cycle. Data graphed in Figure 21 shows that direct firing

MSW biomass has the net effect of reducing GHGe emissions compared to placement in a landfill

where anaerobic decomposition would produce methane that is more than 25 times as effective

as CO2 in trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Figure 21. Comparison of the GHGe contribution of power plants using different fuels

Available data indicate that life cycle GHGe emissions from use of liquid transportation

fuels derived from plastics will be less than those arising from the use of hydrocarbon fuels derived

directly from crude oil [17]. Fuel quality and energy content are dependent on the type and

condition of the plastic polymers converted [18]. According to an NREL "well to wheel" analysis of

the relative GHGe emissions from petroleum-based fuel production and use, properly designed

and operated processes for production and use liquid fuels from plastics will produce less GHGe

than the equivalent direct from petroleum fuel alternative.

Economic and Commercial Advantages of an Integrated Approach

A desktop survey of capital expenditures (capex) for recently completed or planned

gasification and incineration waste to energy plants shows costs range between approximately

$5.4 million and $7.0 million per megawatt of generating capacity for plants in the 3000 ton per

day / 100 MW range. The lower cost per MW of capacity was for an EPR gasification plant planned

GW

P(g

ram

s C

O2

eq

uiv

ale

nt / kW

h)

NGCC

Direct-fired BiomassResidue

Average PC Coal

Coal Biomass Direct Firing

Dedicated Biomass

IGCC

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0

-200

-400

-600



for North Las Vegas, NV, and the higher cost was for a recently completes mass burn waste

incinerator in West Palm Beach FL.

Operational expenses per MW of generating capacity are lower for a mass burn

incineration facility as compared with an RDF burn gasification plant. This is because preparation

of the RDF for the gasification plant requires some manual sorting while little or no sorting of the

waste is required for mass burn. However, gasification of RDF has an advantage when it comes

to air emissions because gasification, and especially gasification with flue gas recycle, is inherently

cleaner that incineration. Furthermore, for a waste stream, the sorting involved in production of

RDF leads to a cleaner fuel than would be charged into a bulk burn incinerator.

In an integrated waste to energy and plastics to Liquid Fuels facility such as described in

this document, sorting of the incoming waste serves two purposes.

(1) separation the combustible materials from the inerts and any hazardous wastes, with

the resulting RDF is an improved fuel.

(2) separation of fossil carbon material from biomass or cellulosic carbon materials.

The biomass carbon fraction of the waste stream is now comprised of renewable fuel,

meaning that power generated from it can command a higher price in most jurisdictions. The fossil

fuel fraction, comprised mostly of plastics, waste tires, and in some cases waste lubricants and

heavy oil, can be chemically recycled to generate liquid and gas phase fuels, as well as a char

that can be burned as fuel or sold as carbon black, depending on the feedstock.

Integrating the conversion of the biomass and fossil fuel fractions in a single facility has

financial advantages as shown in Table 6.

Table 6 Estimated annual earnings per dollar of Capex for Five Conversion Technologies

Conversion Process Annual Earnings /

$ of Capex (Est.)

IRR Range

(20 Year)

Environmental

Ranking vs Landfill

Incineration (Mass Burn)* $0.06* N/A (4)

Gasification (RDF) $0.13 8% to 16% (3)

Gasification (Biomass Only) $0.12 - $0.20 11 % -18% (2)

Plastics to Liquid Fuels + Char $ 0.60 >30% (1)

Tires to Liquid Fuels + Char No Data Available (2) * Public utility – not for profit



Summary

An integrated facility for the conversion of dry combustible solid waste, as described in

this paper, offers several advantages in the management of MSW in the face of decreasing landfill

capacity and increasing waste plastics volumes. Thermal treatment of biomass and fossil carbon

waste, using the most environmentally responsible processes for each, can be accomplished in a

manner that reduces environmental impact and increases total revenue from a given amount of

waste.

The economics of thermal treatment of waste to generate electrical power varies greatly

among jurisdictions. In much of western Europe, and in more densely populated in North America,

the bulk of the revenue for waste to energy plants comes from tipping fees or gate fees. That is,

the value of significant volume reduction and rendering inert combustible solid waste is more

valuable than the power it produces.

Mid-distillate liquids of greatest value are those obtained from thermocatalytic cracking of

fully saturated linear and branched chain aliphatic polymers, namely; HDPE, LDPE and PP. With

the proper catalysts and process design, these polymers can be broken down into the same types

of paraffins napthenes and olephins that comprise the bulk of diesel fuels derived directly from

petroleum. The additional cost involved sorting the various types of plastics from the incoming

waste is more than compensated by the increased value of the liquid fuels obtained as compared

to their value as a fuel for generating process steam or electricity. And in an integrated facility,

waste tipping sorting and storage costs can be shared by the gasification and pyrolysis process

lines.

In jurisdictions where the main revenue comes from rendering the waste inert and waste

volume reduction, rather than electrical power generation, the inclusion of a plastics to liquids

plant in the overall waste to energy facility can increase the amount of annual revenue earned per

units of capex expenditure.

Economies are realized by having an integrated waste separation facility that separated

biomass carbon from fossil carbon materials can each be processed in the most environmentally

responsible manner. The biomass fraction is sent to the gasifiers while the plastics fraction is

further separated to obtain the best polymer mix as feed for the pyrolysis plastics to liquids system.

As indicated in Table 6, the addition or a relatively small and inexpensive plastics pyrolysis

plant to a larger waste to energy plant can allow the WtE plant to operate on renewable fuel while

earning addition revenue that increases to overall plant IRR, making the overall enterprise more

attractive to investors.



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